nts and your
trousseau. The trousseau is all nonsense; and Jansenius knows me of old
in the matter of settlements. I got married in six weeks before."

"Yes," said Agatha sharply, "but I am not Henrietta."

"No, thank Heaven," he assented placidly.

Agatha was struck with remorse. "That was a vile thing for me to say,"
she said; "and for you too."

"Whatever is true is to the purpose, vile or not. Will you come to
Geneva on the twenty-fourth?"

"But--I really was not thinking when I--I did not intend to say that I
would--I--"

"I know. You will come if we are married."

"Yes. IF we are married."

"We shall be married. Do not write either to your mother or Jansenius
until I ask you."

"I don't intend to. I have nothing to write about."

"Wretch that you are! And do not be jealous if you catch me making love
to Lady Brandon. I always do so; she expects it."

"You may make love to whom you please. It is no concern of mine."

"Here comes the wagonette with Lady Brandon and Ger--and Miss Lindsay.
I mustn't call her Gertrude now except when you are not by. Before they
interrupt us, let me remind you of the three points we are agreed
upon. I love you. You do not love me. We are to be married before the
twenty-fourth of next month. Now I must fly to help her ladyship to
alight."

He hastened to the house door, at which the wagonette had just stopped.
Agatha, bewildered, and ashamed to face her friends, went in through the
conservatory, and locked herself in her room.

Trefusis went into the library with Gertrude whilst Lady Brandon
loitered in the hall to take off her gloves and ask questions of the
servants. When she followed, she found the two standing together at the
window. Gertrude was listening to him with the patient expression she
now often wore when he talked. He was smiling, but it struck Jane that
he was not quite at ease. "I was just beginning to tell Miss Lindsay,"
he said, "of an extraordinary thing that has happened during your
absence."

"I know," exclaimed Jane, with sudden conviction. "The heater in the
conservatory has cracked."

"Possibly," said Trefusis; "but, if so, I have not heard of it."

"If it hasn't cracked, it will," said Jane gloomily. Then, assuming with
some effort an interest in Trefusis's news, she added: "Well, what has
happened?"

"I was chatting with Miss Wylie just now, when a singular idea occurred
to us. We discussed it for some time; and the upshot is that we are